G/SPS/N/EU/732  
1 March 2024  
(24-1938) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  EUROPEAN UNION  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  European Commission, Health and Food Safety Directorate -General  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Acibenzolar -S-methyl (pesticide active substance)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Commission Implementing Regulation withdrawing 
the approval of the active substance acibenzolar -S-methyl in accordance with Reg ulation 
(EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Commission 
Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 and repealing Commission Implementing 
Regulation (EU) No 2016/389 (Text with EEA relevance) . Language(s):  English . Number  
of pages:  4 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/EEC/24_01766_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This draft Commission Implementing Regulation provides that 
the approval of the active substance acibenzolar -S-methyl is withdrawn in accordance with 
Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. EU member States shall withdraw authorizations for plant 
protection products cont aining acibenzolar -S-methyl as an active substance.  
This decision only concerns the placing on the market of this substance and plant 
protection products containing it. Following withdrawal and the expiry of all grace periods 
for stocks of products contain ing this substance, separate action will likely be taken on 
MRLs and a separate notification will be made in accordance with SPS procedures.  
This draft Commission Implementing Regulation was also notified under the 
TBT Agreement in notice G/TBT/N/EU/997.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify  the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Pro tection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/EU/732  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
− Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
21 October 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market 
and repealing Council Directiv es 79/117/EEC and 91/414/EEC  
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32009R1107  
− Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 of 25 May 2011 
implementing Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council as regards the list of approved active substances (OJ L 153, 11 J une 2011, 
p. 1–186) 
https://eur -lex.europa.eu/legal -content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32011R0540  
− EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), 2021. Pee r review of the pesticide risk 
assessment of the active substance acibenzolar -S-methyl  
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6687  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/ yy): 2nd quarter 2024.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 2nd quarter 2024.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 20 days following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable. Comments are only welcomed on TBT 
related issues and to be addressed to the TBT  Enquiry Point on notice G/TBT/N/EU/997.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
European  Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry  
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point  
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43  
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu